50 Best Cocktail Bars in Columbus

“Food is good, though it is the only place I know where you have to sit at a high top or a bar stool to get discounts on appetizes during happy hour. Not everyone can sit on a high seat.“

“Had the best time at the downtown Columbus location last weekend for Valentine’s Day! Highly recommend, Kiiya and Savanna and crew made our night special. 10 out of 10, no notes!“

“I ordered the Scottish delight, BEST choice I made all day by far ..... Emma made my drink and the nuance of flavors was so mind-boggling that the sweetness on the back end was almost impossible to place. The crispness and cleanness of the drink and the way it was muddled together were so beautifully blended. It was my absolute favorite place in all of Columbus.“

“Great old school jazz venue!“

“A hidden gem in Columbus for the more relaxed and refined folk looking to have a chill night out. The Denmark offers a great European atmosphere, located on the 2nd floor of a building just across from the convention center. The large windows, low lighting, and casual seating arrangements all set the mood for great conversation amongst peers and intellectual discussions about the various oddities of life.

There aren’t many food options but this place is great with its cocktails. I think there’s always something for everyone, their menu regularly rotates through new unique drinks but has a good repertoire of their classics; The Elderflower Paloma and Mango Daiquiri are particularly exquisite. To my knowledge it’s only run by three guys, which means service will be a little lacking at times, but they’re all great bartenders and have a sweet personality behind their gruff exteriors. They’re just a trio, cut them some slack.

Theres chess sets, self serve water and various card and board games you can pull out from their selections which is complemented by the modern decor to make this place a routine stop for me when I’m out and about downtown. The only negative thing I have to say is that this place is usually very sparse and not as full as I would like it to be, highly recommend more people check it out and make it a regular stop for their nights out as well.“

“I ordered a gift card as a birthday present and there was a mix up (my end) in which they went over and above to correct for me. We don't live in Columbus but I can certainly see why my kids LOVE LawBird and their staff. We'll certainly make it a point to stop in on our next visit down.“

“Had a great evening. Fabulous food and service. Will be back soon.“

“We are from Kentucky and were in Columbus for a concert. I’ve always wanted to try a place that has been featured on Triple D, and this was the best decision ever! High Bank exceeded all expectations! We left with a full belly and A bottle of whiskey to remember them by. Food was incredible. Service was incredible. From now on, every trip to Columbus will include a stop at High Bank Distillery!“

“Oh how could I NOT recommend?! From creative, always changing cocktails and mocktails, I can choose to drink or stay sober EASILY. There are SO MANY fun events here. From painting, poetry, music, karaoke, trivia, ect. It is a bar that can be completely family friendly if you have children. It's like walking into a magical place where you are immediately accepted and loved.“

“Okay, so last semester I was going to Columbus State and I discovered this neatly kept, hidden away gem of excellence. I tried the fish tacos. Unfortunately this semester they did not have them on the menu. (I know! Womp, womp, womp!!!) But I found something else that'll take your appreciation for your taste buds to the next level!!! So I chose the Blackened Salmon Club. My oh my, was it delicious!!! I also had the french fries (delicious), the asparagus (fresh), and the house salad. All blew my expectations away. I love the way this restaurant sits on Cleveland avenue in Mitchell Hall very unexpected. Also the natural lighting just sets a unique ambience for not only dinner dates business means branches and lunches but also just a great stop in to get a drink. Extremely pleasant and helpful and informative staff wonderful smiles who do not hesitate to provide very hospitable accommodations. A must visit.“

“Hosted a Birthday/Retirement Sing Along Karaoke Party for us. Yes it was all of the above, Nebbie and crew made it the most wonderful and memorable night. Everyone had a great time and all I had to do was show up 🥳 Great easy location for people to get to. Food was very good and served quickly, which was great for a large party. 🎉 I highly recommend as a great venue for fun events.“

“upstairs is great for a private party. My son was playing guitar and keyboard. Great staff, very cool interior decor and great place all round.“

“This was a side quest. We were supposed to visit 2 distilleries in Columbus for the distillery trail. Ended up taking a tour with Jimmy at this one and then we had to head back home. Got to bottle our own bourbon at an AMAZING price. Had tons of fun. Would come again and I recommend the bottle your own bourbon tour.“

“Love this place. What a hidden gem. Tracked in down on a recommendation from a friend, and glad I did. Bohemian with a hip, homey vibe. If I lived in Columbus, this would be my hangout.“

“A great place to watch a game! The beer was cold, plenty of TVs and I enjoyed the crowd! We had the wings and they were delicious! The service was fast and efficient. The staff seemed super happy and it showed! We also found Renie’s to be very clean! This will be my new hangout for Sunday football! A hidden gem!“

“"Be Nice To Each Other" -Sheila Ann SteuberHometown atmosphere with down to earth people. Relaxing and entertaining, known to many as the local Cheers! Everyone knows your name and are happy to see you! My mother loved this place and its owner until the day she died. May the wind always be at your back, may the sun always shine down upon your face, and may the wings of destiny carry you off to see the stars.“

“Such an interesting concept and even more thoughtfully executed. It really is a unique little bar that is built around a fun atmosphere for guests. The staff is also extremely nice and knowledgeable. I got an alcoholic slushies and got to sit next to a porthole I'm not sure many people get to say that's something they've experienced in their life so on experience alone 5/5 and once you add in that the drink I had was also immaculate I wish I could rate them higher ☺️“

“simply the best plant based restaurant in the country and probably the world. This is the spot my wife and I go for all of our special occasions even though we live in Indianapolis.“

“Everything was top notch! Excellent experience.“

“This is a really nice place. We enjoy that it is attached to Donatos pizza, so it smells heavenly in here. Nice drink selection. Clean restrooms. They also have a really nice patio out front. They lady working the night of October 17th 2025, was really sweet & kind. I forgot to get her name.“

“I am visiting from Boston and just happen to spontaneously tour the Ohio Statehouse. Here, I lunched at HouseTaco which locates inside the Statehouse itself. The food is quick and fresh. Chef Zach prepared the tacos on-site with passion. They were delicious! What a hidden gem!!!“

“The ambiance of the pub is nice; things are kept clean and pleasant and the lighting is good. However, based on the name you may be under the impression that there is a DnD theme or a English / Irish / Scots influence. There is none. Rather, it's the most upscale you can get a hole in the wall bar to be before you'd end up scaring off the real down and out alcoholics and instead servicing yuppies who know to stop before a third shot. It's the nicest it can get before it transitions from dive to faux-dive.“

“Wow.. I've been to alot of reetaunts around the us, AND a lot of Cameron Mitchell restraunts.

This hidden gem in the German Village Community of Columbus is hands down the best experience I have had at any of his restraunts.

The Arugula Salad was put together with flavors that complimented each other perfectly.
HOWEVER, by far, the Gnocci Filet Tomato dish was by far the best in 48yrs of being alive... the best steak!
I mean it was to the point you couldnt eat quick enough or wait long enough to get the next.

In 48yrs that has never happened before!! Stunned.

Thinking it was over until Mairren, convinced me to try the desert.. she has already had me try the new drink that she created, a whiskey (that's my go to) spin off of an old fashioned that was spicy. Liked it, but not a spicy booze guy.

I went with a new the Chocolate dessert, I don't usually do dessert so I can't comment on it, but leading is to say it was good. Not too rich and overpowering.

Between the Service from Mairren Exceptional...and the two best dishes I think I've had maybe ever let alone at a KM restraunt.. make this the best flaovered steak and salad combo , I've ever experienced.

Ive been to a lot of places and I don't give this recommendation out ever. But this is legit the BEST restraunt in Columbus!!!“

“We always try to make it fit the holiday pop-up at Citizens Trust. Drinks are fun and very festive, decorations are glittery and gleaming! Always a fun time with friends!“

“I’ve never had a bad time at Eight and Sand. The food is beyond impressive and it is reasonably priced. You will not catch me missing the $1 wings every Tuesday and the veggie wrap is incredible. Don’t sleep on the weekly food specials they are always a tasty little surprise! Friendly outgoing staff all around, an awesome patio, and a chill vibe inside. It’s my very favorite bar, there isn’t another like it!“

“soft serve margs and fresh chiccaronres with guac, two best things on the menu, and the staff is awesome 👌🏼“

“We love coming here! They have great food, great margaritas, and the staff is wonderful. The service is very quick, but doesn't sacrifice quality meals. Great place for a family dinner or happy hour with friends. They brough back the margarita flight so you don't have to choose just one flavor to try!“

“The sweet potato crockpot.“

“Garret was great! Recommend a Gran Classico and I loved it!“

“Not sure how this doesn't have five stars across the board. We drove from almost ten hours away and after scouring places to eat we decided to stop here. The crust is crisp, not soggy or tough with good flavor and thickness. You can't go wrong with fresh ingredients like the mozzarella and mushrooms (fresh not canned, wowee!) either. We also tried Gina's Gem and between the beautiful focaccia and the dip being creamy while also sweet with a small back burn to it, you really can't go wrong. The bar is a great place to sit, no spoilers, but the walls and shelves are filled with awesome and hilarious things that make good conversation. It's a shame this wonderful place is so far from home but we're hoping to make it a yearly tradition. Thanks for the great food, staff, and atmosphere!“

“Amazing birthday dinner.. I ordered twin lobster tails. We split a wedge salad and bread basket. Husband had teriyaki salmon which was melt in your mouth perfection. Free birthday dessert was warm butter cake with fresh fruit, ice cream and raspberry sauce. Absolute perfection and amazing service. Thank you for a great celebration.“

“Best sours i have ever had“

“My go-to for decompressing after a hard day at work, they have a wide variety of both alcoholic and nonalcoholic cocktails that tadre great and all the staff are very tolerant and understanding of all walks of life, making it a very inclusive space to be in“

“Always a great time at The Avenue, but Brady really set the bar tonight. Constantly checking on us, very attentive to us and everyone around us, and never skipped a beat when it came to explaining specials and answering our questions. Can’t wait to come back!“

“Great food , great service clean fun . Hard send“

“There was amazing service, it was fast and the waiter was amazing. They were pretty busy when we got here but got seated right away as well as our food was fast and tasted amazing. Definitely a favorite and will come agin“

“There is a lot of average Indian food out there but Rooh is on another level. It is one that we have only experience at restaurants like Deshoom in London. The hostess was so wonderful her personality is the best way to walk into a restaurant. The wait staff was perfection and unlike so many restaurants nowadays the pacing of the 3 course meal for restaurant week was perfection. Each course more tasty and beautifully prepared than the next. We don’t come to Columbus often but I would consider coming back just to eat here, and we will for sure be back next time we are in town. I just wish we would have Indian food this good anywhere near where we live. This place is a gem.“

“Fantastic food and service. Top notch - if your in Columbus this restaurant is a must.“

“very elegant, stunning views, reasonable prices for the luxury you get“

“Honestly way better than I was even expecting! A great place to grab a quick slice for a totally reasonable price. The pepperoni slice was delicious and huge. Get the breadstick, it's gigantic. A slice and breadstick for under 10 bucks is a major win in the Short North.“

“Wonderful experience and great atmosphere“

“Great Bourbon and Great Food!“

“Beautiful dining area! Having a great evening.“

“We had a delightful Christmas Eve dinner with appetizers and three different entrees. The gnocchi was absolutely delicious and our favorite! The sauce was wonderful!“

“Outstanding in every way! It starts with a crisp white Pinot Grigio paired with hot fluffy focaccia dipped in a savory and quality olive oil with fresh herbs. Next, indulge in a bowl of handmade pasta with pesto. Wow! Chef’s kiss, literally! Service, on point, atmosphere- perfect! Do not miss this little slice of Italian perfection.“

“Bodega is one of those places that knows exactly what it is and leans into it. A low-key, no-frills neighborhood dive with just enough charm to make you want to hang out longer than you planned.

The funnel cake fries are the real surprise hit. Crispy, fluffy, perfectly dusted with sugar and dangerously easy to keep eating. I honestly came in for a drink and left thinking about those fries.

Huge shoutout to Salim behind the bar. Super friendly, attentive, and bringing just the right mix of smooth and playful energy that makes you feel welcome the moment you sit down. He made the whole experience better.

Bodega may not be trying to be fancy, and that’s part of its appeal. It’s a relaxed, easygoing spot with good vibes, great service, and snacks that punch way above their weight.

Would come back, especially for those funnel cake fries and Salim’s hospitality.“

“Fantastic dishes. The quesadilla starter is phenomenal. The wild boar sloppy Joe and the octopus are really well prepared as well. Cannot go wrong!“

“Always a lovely experience. This place provides a place for the community to gather and share their love of a variety of music. I usually go to their monthly hosting of the Central Ohio Hot Jazz Society's jam session where SwingColumbus teaches a dance lesson at the beginning and then the floor is open for dancing. It has been a staple for jazz lovers and certainly for our dance scene. We're hoping the next owners do the business justice. Maybe they can fix up the floor so it can be an even better dance space.“

“Coffee is top notch! Drinks including turtleneck/gold chain and espresso martini equally as great! A new fav spot for my husband and I to chill.“

“Brian catered my daughter’s bridal shower and he was outstanding to work with!! We had a last minute venue change and he stepped up to help even more. He responded quickly to messages and delivered exactly what we were hoping for. He arrived on time for the shower and had everything ready. He is know for his bread and his rolls and cinnamon rolls were incredible and I don’t know what he did to create an egg casserole for our brunch but it was the talk of the day!!! I recommend Brian’s catering for every event!! He went above and beyond to help me and all of the food was top notch!“